


i would have no need for angels if that is what you wish

by schoolboys



Category: Formula 1 RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-29
Updated: 2014-12-29
Packaged: 2018-03-04 05:16:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2953727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/schoolboys/pseuds/schoolboys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>nico is a merman caught in jenson's net.</p>
            </blockquote>





	i would have no need for angels if that is what you wish

'Pull the nets up!'

'I can't, it's stuck!'

'What?'

'Something's caught in there!'

'I'll go check!' Jenson yells, running across the deck. His boots create splashes of water as he steps on the puddles of sea water, headed for the nets.

It is the last catch for the day, and they will head back to the port after this, straight to the markets. Fish have to be sold when they are fresh, and Jenson stumbles as something rocks against the boat.

'What is it?'

'Don't know, give me a sec-'

'Hurry up!'

'Okay, hang on.' Jenson frowns, leaning over the edge of the boat. He grabs a fistful of netting and a spray of seawater hits him on the face and it stings. 'What-'

There, in the net, is a mermaid.

 

Jenson cuts the net. His father is cross with him for most of the day, but Jenson maintains the story that it had been some sort of shark and debris from goodness knows where.

Truth is, Jenson has no idea how to explain his encounter with the merfolk. He knows that they exist, for they are prized creatures kept in aquariums around the world, and the wealthy keep them in tanks for their own amusement. It is unsettling, Jenson thinks, but he tries not to think too much about it given how he is a fisherman. He fishes for a living. All those fish, lives pulled away from them so they can be food for others. Not something Jenson would like to think of while he is preparing dinner, searing a fillet from earlier in the morning.

But then again, it had only been one of the merfolk. Jenson has heard stories, he has seen paintings, and the story goes that merfolk are beautiful creatures with terrifyingly sharp teeth all too ready to tear human flesh apart, and that their screech would kill anyone without beeswax in their ears. Jenson's creature had been a beautiful thing, golden locks that clung to his cheeks and pretty green eyes and the sweetest smile Jenson had ever seen. Jenson had whispered _a mermaid_ under his breath, both in terror and in awe, but the creature had flicked its tail at Jenson in annoyance, and Jenson had blinked, surprised. A merman it was, scales on its tail sparkling in the sunlight. It had whimpered, making noises of distress as it struggled against the rest of the fish in the net, trying to free itself, biting at the net to no avail. Then it had looked up at Jenson, eyes pleading, and really, Jenson supposes that he could have met his watery end right there and then. But he had freed the merman, and the merman had risen from the sea to press a kiss to Jenson's lips before sinking into the sea, taking all the fish with it.

Jenson had been left with the broken net, stunned, staring at the waves, dyed orange by the rising sun.

 

The next time Jenson comes close to the merfolk is ten years later, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his trousers as his cousin drags him to the aquarium in the city. The star attraction is a beautiful merman, and really, Jenson has no interest in them, but he brings his cousin there and takes her to the merfolk show, sitting in the first row. The announcers warn that they could get wet because the merfolk do like to splash about, and Jenson's cousin giggles, knocking against Jenson, and Jenson sighs.

'And now may we present, the merman Nico!'

The crowd bursts into applause, and the huge oyster-like structure in the middle of the tank opens up to reveal a merman, uncurling its body as the music plays on. Jenson's cousin oohs and ahhs and Jenson stares, jaw hanging open because this merman. God, this merman.

Nico swims up to the glass surface of the tank, looking straight at Jenson. Two fingers to the lips, two fingers to the glass and then Nico is off, swimming up to carry on with the show.

This is the same merman from years ago, the one he had freed so that it could swim the ocean the way it was always meant to. Now it is here, performing tricks for human entertainment, and Jenson feels sick to the core.


End file.
